This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this text, in whole or in part. Please contact project staff at eebotcp-info@umich.edu for further information or permissions.
AFter the decease of S. Lewis, Philip the third, surnamed the Hardy, his eldest sonne, having beene proclaimed King in the Campe before Tunis in Africk, tooke his jour∣ney in his returne through Italy, direct∣ly to Viterbe, to make an agreement be∣tween
the Cardinals, who in two years space were in a dissention upon the E∣lection of a Pope. Hee was Crowned at Rheimes by the Bishop of Soissons, the thirtieth of August, Anno Dom. 1271. He after incorporated the County of Tholouse to the Crowne, upon the de∣cease of the Count Alphonse his uncle. He went to aide Gerard of Cassebonne, his Subjects, against the Counts of Ar∣migna and Foix, by reason whereof, the Count of Foix submitted himselfe to his mercy. He restored the Countrey of Navarre to the obedience of Ioane, daughter of the late Henry King of Na∣varre deceased. The King marryed Mary, the daughter of Henry Duke of Brabant, who was suspected to have poysoned Lewis, the eldest sonne of the King, by his first wife Isabelle of Aragon: She was found innocent by the report of two Bishops who were sent to a Nunne, or rather a Sorceresse, to know the truth. The yeare after Peter De la Bresche, great Chamberlaine of
France, and superintendant of the Fi∣nances, and affaires of the King, was han∣ged, being accused and convicted, for having discovered the secrets of France to the King of Spaine, together with the death of the Kings sonne. Anno Domini 1282. the Sicilian Evensong were executed upon the Frenchmen, upon an Easter day, or (as others report) on the thirtieth of March, or thirteenth of April: whereupon Charles, Uncle to the King, offered battaile to Peter of Aragon, the author thereof, but he re∣fused it. Afterwards the King having caused Ioane, the onely daughter of the late Henry, King of Navarre, to be mar∣ryed to his eldest sonne Phillip, he mar∣ched with his Army for the Conquest of Aragon, which by the Pope had been given to Charles de valois, the second sonne of Philip, who conquered the County of Russillon; after that the Ci∣ty of Gennes. And after that, having in an Embuscado slaine the King of A∣ragon, he forced the Towne of Gironne
to be yeelded up. He went to con∣clude his Fate at the Towne of Perpig∣nan, of a Malady which surprised him in his Campe, Anno Domini 1285. the 6. of October.
This King, as it appeares in the whole course of his life, would engage himselfe in all businesses, and was there∣fore called the Hardy; but his despe∣rate Father would not undertake his Neighbours quarrells, nor seek to make betwene them any agreement, unlesse it might be done by safe and quiet means. The reigne of this King was much di∣sturbed by the warres maintained by Pe∣ter and Roger for the Isle of Sicily, and after much effusion of blood, Charles dy∣ed, and also Peter, though politicke, could not deceive death, but having re∣ceived a great overthrow, concluded his Act of life with griefe and sorrow. At last this King was by Roger, Admi∣rall of Arragon, friend unto Peter set upon him, lying sicke a bed at Pepignan; yet in extreamity he exprest a noble cou∣rage,
and with his sicke weake voyce so encouraged his Souldiers, that Roger was droven out of Pepignan, the City held by Philip so distempered with this alarum, that he grew sicke and dyed the fifteenth of October, two moneths after Peter, Pope Martin the fourth dying the same yeare, 1286. to shew great Princes, that their chiefe designes are crost by death.
It was now decreed in a Counsell at Lions, that the Cardinals meeting after the Popes death, should not come out of that Conolme untill they had chosen the Pope, which begun upon occasion of the tedious Election of the former Pope, and the Decree is still observed. Thomas Aquinas now dyed, being a subtile dis∣puter: But Bonaventure, John Duns, called Scot, and Gabriel Biel succeeded, and were famous schollers.
And to conclude, hee was a Prince borne for a testimony to that obscure age, and for corrupted times, to bee a patterne to all Kings and Princes of re∣ligion,
equity, clemency, wisedome, valour, magnanimity, patience, and con∣stancy: to love piety, justice, order and peace, to joyne the love of sanctity and modesty of manners, with Armes and State. Having shewed that it is very sitting for a King to be a good Christian, a good warriour, a good husband, a good father, a good governour, a good Iustier, and to know how to make war and peace. That it is very necessary to joyne unto the Majesty Royall, pie∣ty, clemency, and authority to gaine the low respect and obedience. And lastly, that the best guard, and most assured revenew of a Prince, is the love of his Subjects. Thus he was worthy of that venerable name, wherewith posterity hath justly honourd him, being the Ho∣nour of vertue.